Push button snap switch



Oct; 18, 1932. w, c REGONlNG 1,883,127

PUSH BUTTON SNAP SWITCH Filed June 11, 1930 contactor.

Patented Oct. 18, 1932 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM c. anneonme, or WAUWATOSA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T CUTLER-HAMMER, me, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A coaromvrron or DELAWARE PUSH BUTTON Application filed June 11,

This invention relates toimprovements in push button snap switches, and the invention more particularly relates to lamp sockets having my improved switch mechanism applied thereto.

An object of the invention is to minimize the number and facilitate assembly of the parts of a push button lamp socket.

Another object is to provide a switch mechanism which is extremely simple in construction and trustworthy in operation.

Another object is to provide a novel form of interlocking connectionbetween the respective movable parts of the switch mechanism, together with novel means for retaining such parts and the screw-shell lamp socket contact in assembled relation to the insulating housing for the switch mechanism.

Another object is to provide a novel and inexpensive form of switch contactor.

Another object is to provide improved wiring terminal means for the lamp socket.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

The accompanying drawing illustrates an embodiment of the invention which will now be described, it being understood that the embodiment illustrated is susceptible of modification in certain details thereof without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a push button lamp socket constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of certain of the parts illustrated in'Fig. 1,,the parts being shown in separated relation.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the insulating cap or upper section of the switch housing.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the cap shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the insulat ing base or lower section of the housing.

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the base shown in Fig. 5, and

Fig. is a perspective view of the switch While I have illustrated my invention as embodied in a push button lamp socket of the SNAP swrrcn 1930. Serial No. 460,382.

electrolier style, obviously the same is equally well adapted for lamp sockets of standard type; whereas certain features of the invention, including the switch mechanism, are

of more general utility in the art of wiring devices.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 10 designates a molded insulating member which acts as a base or support for the stationary and movable contacts of the switch a reciprocating actuator 18 of molded insulating material.

The lower surface 19 of actuator 18 is adapted for sliding engagement with the shoulders or ledges 20 and 21 formed on opposite sides of recess 11; said ledges being interrupted, as indicated, by the lower rounded portions 22 and 23 of a pair of substantially V-shaped notches formed in the side walls of recess 11. Said portions 22*and 23pm; q vide open pivotal bearings for the lower edge portions 25 and 25 of a contactor 25 of substantially loop-form.

Contactor 25 consists of a flat punched sheet metal plate of substantially rectangular contour, said plate having an integral inwardly extending portion 26 to act as an abutment for the upper end of a coiled compression spring 27,the other end of said spring containing ametal eyelet 28 the flanged end of which is adapted to bear against the abutment 29 formed integrally with the actuator 18. Spring 27 thus acts to retain the actuator 18 and contactor 25 in assembled relation to each other,the inner edge of the lower portion of the contactor being swaged to bevel or round the same, as indicated at 30. to minimize friction between this-edge and the lower surface 19 of actuator 18 which is slidable thereover.

Assuming assembly of actuator 18 and contactor 25 and seating of the latter within the aforementioned V-shaped notches it will be apparent that oscillation of the contactor is effected with a snap action upon each reciprocation of the actuator. Moreover, as best indicated in Figs. 2 and 5, the walls 22 and 23 of theV-shaped notches are arranged at a greater angle from the vertical than the walls 22 and 23 of said notches,the arrangement being such that the spring 27 is compressed to a greater degree for circuit opening movement of the contactor than for circuit closing movement of the latter.

Actuator 18 is also provided on the lower face 19 thereof with a pair of cam-shaped integral projections 31 and 32 which act to retain the actuator and contactorin asser n bled relation prior to insertion thereof into recess '11. Moreover, as best illustrated in Fig. 1 the cam 31 is adapted to engage a laterally bent lug 33 Which is integral with the lower end of contactor to positively initiate movement of the latter from circuit closing position, thebottom wall of recess 11 having a depression 11* to provide clearance for lug 33. In this manner the possibility of the contactor remaining in engagement with the stationary contacts after move- 0 ment of the actuator to open-circuit position is obviated.

The resilient stationary switch contacts are designated by the numerals 34 and 35 (Fig. 2), these contacts extending upwardly I 35 through passages 36 and 37 respectively in base 10, on opposite sides of recess 11, said contacts being adapted to frictionally engage contactor 25 upon movement of the latter therebetween, and the same having flared end '40 lugs 34 and 35 to facilitate such movement. Contact 35 is provided with a portion 38 bent at a right angle thereto and adapted to lie within a correspondingly \shaped shallow recess 39 on the opposite or lower face of base 10. Portion 38 and base 10 are provided with registering openings to permit passage therethrough of the shank of a flanged eyelet 40, said eyelet beingupset within the countersink 41 (Fig. 5) in base 10 to rigidly and permanently'secure said contact in position. Also integral with the portion 38 of contact 35 and adapted to lie within and project slightly from a recess 42 in base 10 is a resilient center lamp socket contact 43.

Contact 34 is similarly provided with a right-angled base portion 44 which is perforated in register with an opening in base 10 to receive the shank of a. flanged e elet 45 which is upset within the recess 46 Fig. 2) to rigidly and permanently secure said contact in position. Integral with and struck upwardly from portion 44 at a right angle thereto is. a forked terminal portion 47, which is adapted to accommodate a subterminal assembly consisting of a binding screw 48 and a nut 49 which are adapted for clamping engagement therewith. Screw 48 is staked or upset as shown after threading thereof into the nut. Base 10 is provided with pe-' ed to receive for clamping engagement a subassembly of parts consisting of a binding screw 48 and a nut 49*(which parts are of the same construction as the parts 48, 49

aforedescribed) Base 10 is peripherally recessed at 58, 59 to accommodate parts 57, 49 and the shank of screw-48.

Adapted to enclose t e switch'mechanism and to retain the movable elements of the latter in assembled relation to base 10 is a top section or cap 60 of insulating material, said cap being recessed as indicated at 61 and 62 to accommodate the upwardly extending contacts 34 and 35 and to permit oscillatory movement of contactor 25. The bottom surface of cap 60 is provided with flat shoulders or projections 60 and 60 which are adapted to seat against the upper face of base 10. Adapted to penetrate registering openings in cap 60,-,base 10 and screw-shell contact 52 are a pair of headed metal pins or rivets 63 and 64, the lower hollow ends of which are adapted to be upset over the flange portions 53 and 54 of the screw-shell to rigidly and permanently secure in assembled relation the several parts of the insulating casing, the screw-shell and the switch mechanism. Cap 60 is preferably provided with cut-away portions 65 and 66 to provide ample clearance for the lead wires of a circuit.

A two-part lamp socket casing of well known form may be provided, said casing as shown comprising a body portion 67 and a cap 68 having the usual snap-catch structure 69. The usual tubular fiber lining 7O ma likewise be employed.

t will be noted that upon assembly of the several switch parts and lamp socket parts in the manner aforedescribed, the nuts 49 and 49 will be retained against rotation within the respective recesses in base 10. Hence the binding screws 48 and 48 may be operated in the usual manner to retain or release the portions of the respective circuit wires.

'Also as best illustrated in Fig. 1 the angular end walls 12 and 13 of recess 11 cooperate with the correspondingly angled surfaces 71 and 72 of member 18 to limit reciprocating movements of the latter. As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 the cap 60 is likewise provided with semicircular recesses 73 and 74 to accommodate the push button portions 16 and 17, and to retain the actuator 18 in sliding engagement with the ledges or shoulders 20 and 21 in recess 11.

The push button portions 16 and 17 of actuator 18 preferably consist of insulating materials of contrasting colors (such as black and red), the line of cleavage between the integrally molded parts of the actuator being shown at 75.

. What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an electric snap switch, in combination, a molded insulating base having a substantially rectangular recess in one face thereof, resilient stationary contacts penetrating said base on opposite sides of said recess, said recess having a pair of alined substantially V-shaped notches formed in the walls thereof, a flat punched sheetmetal contactor of substantially loop-form the lower edge of which is adapted for pivotal engagement with said notches, a push button actuator formed of insulating material and extending through said contactor, said actuator and said contactor each having an abutment formed integrally therewith, a coiled compression spring interposed between said abutments to bias said actuator into slidin engagement with said contactor, and a mol ed insulating cap member secured to said base and engageable with said actuator to guide the latter and to retain said contactor in pivotal engagement with said notches.

2. In an electric snap switch, in combination, an oscillatable contactor consisting of a flat, punched sheet metal member of loopform and of substantially rectangular contour, said member having a spring abutment formed integrally therewith and projecting downwardly from the upper end thereof, said member also having a portion formed integrally therewith and bent laterally from the plane of the main body thereof, a rectilinearly movable actuating element formed of insulating material and adapted to penetrate said contactor for sliding engagement with the latter, an abutment formed integrally with said actuator, a coiled spring interposed under compression between the firstand last-mentioned abutments, an insulating base having a recess formed with open pivotal bearings to accommodate thelower edge of said contactor, stationary contacts carried by said base, and a cam element formed integrally with said actuator and engageable with said laterally bent portion of the contactor to positively initiate disengagement of the latter from said stationary contacts.

3 In a push button lamp socket switch, in combination, a molded insulating base having a recess in one face thereof to accommodate the switch mechanism, said mechanism including a contactor, an actuator therefor and a pair of stationary resilient switch contacts each penetrating said base and arranged on opposite sides of said recess, one of said switch contacts having a center lamp socket contact formed integrally therewith and arranged on the opposite face of said base, the

other of said switch contacts having a wiring terminal portion formed integrally therewith and arranged in offset relation to said center lamp socket contact, a screw-shell lamp socket contact having a flange portion located in the plane of said center contact but spaced therefrom, each of said switch contact and lamp contact parts being rigidly and permanently secured to said base, and a molded insulating cap member, said cap member engaging said actuator and forming the sole means for retaining the latter and said contactor in assembled relation to said base.

4. In a push buttonlamp socket switch, in combination, a molded insulating base having a recess in one face thereof to accommodate the switch mechanism, said mechanism including a contactor, an actuator therefor Y and a pair of stationary resilient switch con tacts each penetrating said base and arranged on opposite sides of said recess, one of said switch contacts having a center lamp socket contact formed integrally therewith and arranged on the opposite face of said base, the other of said switch contacts having a wiring terminal portion formed integrally therewith and arranged in ofiset relation to said center lamp socket contact, a screw-shell lamp socket contact having a flange portion located in the plane of said center contact but spaced therefrom, each of said switch contact and lamp contact parts being rigidly and permanently secured to said base, said screw-shell contact having a forked lug formed integrally therewith and bent outwardly at substantially right angles from the base flange thereof, a

nut and a binding screw to receive said pair of binding screw and nut assemblies to e accommodated by the forked terminal portions and adapted for clamping engagement with the latter respectively, said base having a pair Qf longitudinally extending peripheral recesses to accommodate the assembled terminal elements, the walls of said'recesses engaging the respective nuts to restrain the latter against rotation relatively to said base.

6. In a push button snap switch lamp socket, in combination, a pair of complementally recessed molded insulating members to,

loosely receive and retain therebetween the movable parts of theswitcl1 mechanism, the actuating button of said switch mechanism being located between and guided by the adjacent recessed faces of said insulating mem bers, a flanged screw-shell lamp socket contact located on one of said members, a wiring terminal member formed integrally with the flange of said screw-shell, and bent outwardly from the latter, and a pair of headed elements penetrating alignel openings in each of saidmembers and the flange of said screwshell contact, said elements having the ends thereof upset over said flange to thereby rigidly and permanently secure all of said parts in assembled relation to each other.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto sub-' scribed my name.

WILLIAM C. TREGONING. 

